About that 100,000 caucus turnout…

Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2008 | 5:10 p.m.

Democratic circles are abuzz with excitement about Nevada's caucus, and people are starting to think that the state party's early estimate - recently repeated by Sen. Harry Reid - of 100,000 people might just be possible.

Except now, Nevada's senior senator is dialing down expectations.

"I don't know how many will show up," he said this afternoon at a local event promoting this summer's Democratic National Convention in Denver. "Tens of thousands."

When reminded he had recently pushed out the 100,000 number recently, he again demurred. "That was a number I threw out."

On a more upbeat tone, he told an audience of hard-core activists hearing about the party's convention that Nevada's caucus would be a "blockbuster."

"How much more interesting can this be," he said. "I don't know who's on offense. I don't know who's on defense. But it's going to be a great game Saturday."